Verification

Students who must submit documentation to verify information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be notified via University email. Students may log into the Student Administration System to review any outstanding requirements. Students should NOT submit documentation unless specifically requested to do so. Please note that signed copies of Federal tax returns are not considered a valid form of documentation for the purpose of verification (excluding foreign tax returns) except in rare, special circumstances. Applicants are strongly encouraged to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool as a means of completing their FAFSAs and any verification requirements. In lieu of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, IRS Tax Return Transcripts may be requested by phone, by mail, or online.

What is verification?

Verification is a process in which information on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is reviewed by a school for accuracy and completeness. Each year, the Federal U.S. Department of Education selects certain applicants for verification. The verification process requires the Office of Student Financial Aid Services to confirm the data supplied by the student and/or parent(s). Although the University cannot determine who will be selected for verification each year, students should anticipate selection. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, immediately submit all requested documentation to our office for review. Failure to provide required documentation by stated deadlines may negatively impact your financial aid award package.

How will I know if I am selected for verification?

Your Student Aid Report (SAR) will indicate whether or not your file has been selected for verification. The SAR is typically accessed via a link sent to you by the U.S. Department of Education after you file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you are selected for verification, there will be an asterisk* next to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) figure on your SAR. You will also receive notification via University email from the Office of Student Financial Aid Services alerting you to check the View My Financial Aid section of UConn’s Student Administration System to determine what documentation you will be required to submit before your financial aid application is fully processed. New Graduate students may be notified by mail if a University email address is not yet available.

Should I send documentation even if my application has not been selected for verification?

Students should not send any financial documentation unless requested to do so. UConn only verifies the FAFSA information of selected students or in special cases when inconsistent information is found. However, the Office of Student Financial Aid Services must review all information in its possession, even for students not selected for verification. Sending in information that is not required could result in unnecessary delays in the disbursement of your financial aid. If you need to make corrections to your FAFSA, you may do so by logging into your application online.

Why was I selected for verification?

Many students selected for verification are chosen randomly. However, you are more likely to be selected for verification if the data you provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was inconsistent, if the FAFSA you submitted was incomplete, or if your FAFSA contained estimated information.

If I am selected for verification, what do I need to do?

If your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was selected, participation in the verification process is mandatory and must occur before need-based Federal student financial aid will disburse. Students must submit the required documentation to verify the information on the FAFSA. Students may log into UConn’s Student Administration (SA) System to review any outstanding requirements in the View My Financial Aid section of the site.

Please note that during the process of verification, new or additional information may be required in order to clarify inconsistencies. The Office of Student Financial Aid Services (OSFAS) will contact you via University email if additional clarification is needed, and the View My Financial Aid section of the SA System may be updated accordingly. It is important to respond to any information requests immediately.

Per regulations, the OSFAS can not accept copies of tax returns for verification purposes, except in rare, special circumstances. Therefore, if tax and income data are requested, students should either update the FAFSA application by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool within the online FAFSA website –or- provide an official IRS Tax Return Transcript. A free IRS Tax Return Transcript may be obtained directly from the IRS by online request, by calling 1-800-908-9946, or by completing and mailing Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, selecting the “Return Transcript” option. Further information about IRS tax return transcripts can be found at www.IRS.gov.

Verification will be completed when all required information is received by the OSFAS. Your financial aid will not show as anticipated or be disbursed until all submitted documentation has been verified by the OSFAS, and the U.S. Department of Education has received and accepted any changes to the original FAFSA data.

What is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) and why should I use it?

IRS Data Retrieval is an option within the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This function may be used to import income and tax information already within the Federal Internal Revenue Service database directly into the FAFSA. Students and parents may elect to use IRS Data Retrieval when initially filing a FAFSA. They also may file the FAFSA with estimated data, later utilizing IRS Data Retrieval to update the FAFSA after their Federal tax returns have been processed.If a student/parent changes information on the FAFSA after using the IRS Data Retrieval, this information will not be acceptable for the purposes of official verification and an official IRS Tax Return Transcript or use of IRS Data Retrieval without subsequent edits will be required.Click here for an online tutorial about how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool within the FAFSA.Use of the IRS DRT is optional, but recommended as it eliminates the possibility of errors on certain data elements. It is a secure way to populate or update FAFSA information in the most efficient manner possible. Use of IRS Data Retrieval may mitigate processing delays which impact receipt of financial aid packages in a timely manner.

When is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) available for use?

The IRS DRT is only available once a Federal income tax return has been filed and processed by the IRS. In general, income and tax information will be available for import by the IRS Data Retrieval tool within 2-3 weeks if a Federal return is filed electronically. Federal income tax returns submitted by regular post may need to wait 8-11 weeks for tax information to be available via the IRS DRT.Filers who owe taxes may experience longer wait times before they may access the IRS DRT in the FAFSA, particularly during peak tax filing season.

Are there filers who should not attempt to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) if selected for verification?

There are certain circumstances in which filers cannot or should not attempt use of IRS Data Retrieval and should request the IRS Tax Return Transcript instead if documentation of income/tax info is required for verification. These are:

Any tax filer whose marital status has changed from the time s/he has filed the FAFSA to present. Use of the IRS DRT will not supply enough information in these cases to accurately complete verification.

Filers who were married the previous calendar year but now are separated/divorced should also submit all W-2 forms if selected for verification

Filers whose tax filing and marital statuses are inconsistent with reported household information on the FAFSA may be required to send additional documentation.

Biological/adoptive parents of a dependent student who are unmarried, but live together

Married tax filers who…

file Married-Separately

file Head of Household (meeting the special requirements regarding timing and maintenance of a separate household from their spouse). Additional documentation of these circumstances will be requested.

Filers who have performed a direct rollover of their IRAs in the previous calendar year. Use of the IRS DRT may make it appear that they have a large amount of untaxed income at their disposal. Filers in these circumstances should submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript with the word “Rollover” next to the “Total IRA Distributions” field and a 1099R or other supplemental documentation from the companies verifying the transaction.

Filers who have accomplished a conversion to a Roth IRA in the previous calendar year. Use of the IRS DRT may make it appear that they have more accessible taxable income. Filers in these circumstances should submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript with the word “Rollover” next to the “Total IRA Distributions” field and a 1099R or other supplemental documentation from the companies verifying the transaction.

What is an IRS Tax Return Transcript? Is this the same as a copy of a tax return?

An IRS Tax Return Transcript is NOT the same as a copy of the 1040 Federal income tax return. Federal aid regulations prohibit the use of a copy of a signed tax return as part of the verification process, with a few, rare exceptions. If you cannot use the IRS Data Retrieval function within the FAFSA, and must supply income and tax information for verification, you can obtain a free Federal Tax Return Transcript directly from the IRS by online request, by calling 1-800-908-9946, or by completing and mailing Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, selecting the “Return Transcript” option. Note that the IRS will quickly supply filers with an online PDF version of tax return transcripts for previously-processed returns so long as filers are able to answer security questions correctly. Further information about IRS tax return transcripts can be found at www.IRS.gov.

Can a Tax Account Transcript verify my FAFSA data?

No. An IRS Tax Account Transcript has fewer data elements than an IRS Tax Return Transcript. For verification purposes, the only documentation allowed in lieu of IRS Data Retrieval with unchanged data is an IRS Tax Return Transcript, unless there is an allowed special circumstance. You can obtain a free IRS Tax Return Transcript directly from the IRS by online request, by calling 1-800-908-9946, or by completing and mailing Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, selecting the “Return Transcript” option. Further information about IRS tax return transcripts can be found at www.IRS.gov.

When do I need to submit the verification documents?

The Office of Student Financial Aid Services (OSFAS) will not disburse Federal Title IV or need-based institutional aid until the verification process has been completed. Thus, it is very important for students to submit required documentation as soon as possible. For students whose applications are selected for verification, financial aid awards are considered tentative until the required evaluation related to the verification process is completed.

Deadlines:

Students selected for verification and awarded an estimated financial aid package must submit all documentation to the OSFAS by the deadlines indicated. To meet the August 1 Fee Bill due date, documentation must be received by July 1, 2015. Students who submit documentation after the July 1 deadline may not have their Financial Aid applied to the University Fee Bill by the August 1 due date. Students who do not submit the required documentation by the final deadline of November 1, 2015 will have all of their financial aid cancelled. Student who submit documentation after cancellation will have their financial aid award packages reinstated if funds are available.

Students should not submit documentation unless they receive specific requests from the OSFAS or through the Student Administration System.

Will my financial aid change due to verification?

During the verification process, information is compared to the original data on the FAFSA and corrections may be made. These corrections may lower or raise the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) figure. Because financial need is determined by the EFC, aid eligibility may be impacted when changes occur during the verification process. If the verification process is completed after a student is initially awarded financial aid, changes to the original aid package may occur. The Office of Student Financial Aid Services will notify you of any changes to aid via your University email account and the Student Administration System. In some cases, when financial aid has already been disbursed but the EFC increases after a late verification process, certain forms of aid must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education.

Will being selected for verification prevent my aid from disbursing?

Your financial aid will not show as anticipated on your fee bill or be disbursed until you have submitted all requested documents and the information has been verified by the Office of Student Financial Aid Services. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education must receive and accept changes to the original FAFSA information prior to disbursement.

What should I do if I have been selected for verification but have an extension to file my tax return?

Students and/or parents who are required to submit income and tax information for the purposes of verification will only be able to access the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) or IRS Tax Return Transcript once their Federal income tax returns have been processed by the IRS.If you have been selected for verification and if a tax-filing extension has been completed, you should provide the Office of Student Financial Aid Services (OSFAS) a copy of the IRS Form 4868 and all W-2 forms for the tax year. W-2 forms will be used to estimate the filer’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) figure for the purposes of verification. If W-2 forms are unavailable or are not a valid estimate of AGI for the given tax year, a written statement of estimated Adjusted Gross Income may be accepted.Please note that if verification is not completed by the time the October 15th extension deadline has passed, students and families will be expected to use the IRS DRT to update their Free Application for Federal Student Aid or supply the OSFAS with a tax return transcript to complete the required verification process.

What if I am selected for verification but will not file a Federal Income Tax Return?

Whether or not you are required to file a Federal income tax return depends on many factors, including your filing status, citizenship, income amount, income sources, age, etc. This Internal Revenue Service (IRS) link may be used to determine whether or not you are required to file. The main IRS website may be used to obtain directions, forms, and answers to frequently asked questions. Further questions should be directed to the IRS or to a qualified tax professional.Students and/or parents whose income falls below the minimum filing threshold for a given tax year should complete the required Verification Worksheet and submit all W-2 forms and/or other statements of income. If evidence suggests that a student or parent should have filed, but did not, this represents conflicting information which must be resolved.Students and/or parents who file returns outside the United States should review the Special Cases FAQ below…

Are there Special Cases in which other documentation may be accepted in lieu of an IRS Tax Return Transcript or use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool?

If a student and/or parent is able to obtain alternate official documentation (such as the “Return Transcript for Tax Payer”) directly from the IRS that includes all income and tax information for the tax year to be verified, AND if the Office of Student Financial Aid Services (OSFAS) judges this alternate documentation to be official and complete, such documentation may be used in rare circumstances to complete the verification process in lieu of the IRS Tax Return Transcript.The OSFAS is aware of only the following circumstances in which students and parents who have filed returns cannot use IRS Data Retrieval, nor can they submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript:

Cases of Identity Theft: The student and/or parent should submit…

A signed copy of the paper Federal income tax return AND…

A copy of IRS Form 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit,” –or- a signed & date statement of the IRS’ investigation of the matter, -or- a police report.

A signed copy of the original tax return –or- an IRS Tax Return Transcript, AND…

A signed and dated copy of Form 1040X “Amended Individual Income Tax Return” –and- an updated, signed 1040 detailing all changes.

Filing of Tax Returns Outside the US: When students/ parents are not obligated to file US income tax returns and ONLY file abroad…

Citizens of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam should submit a signed copy of their commonwealth’s/ territory’s tax return (e.g. the Planilla de Contribución Sobre Ingresos for residents of PR).

Citizens of the Freely Associated States should submit signed copies of Wage and Tax Statements from each employer –and- a signed statement identifying all income and taxes for the tax year.

Citizens of foreign countries should submit…

A signed & dated copy of the foreign tax return with an English translation of all pertinent fields –and- a monetary conversion of foreign currency to US dollars at the exchange rate in effect when you originally filed your FAFSA, –OR-

A signed statement identifying all income and taxes paid for the tax year (for foreign citizens not obligated to file a foreign tax return)